


In This Together

by berettajane



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Car Accidents, Fluff and Angst, Hospitalization, Hurt Michael, M/M, Marriage, Married Couple, Protective Luke, Sad, Sad Luke, Sad with a Happy Ending, Same-Sex Marriage, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-29
Updated: 2017-03-29
Packaged: 2018-10-12 09:16:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10487397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/berettajane/pseuds/berettajane
Summary: Luke struggles with the aftermath of Michael being in a serious car accident.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote the majority of this in one sitting a few months ago, but never posted it because I always felt that it was missing something. 
> 
> I do not own the picture used.
> 
> Enjoy!

 

"Sir, I need you to calm down," the nurse said, attempting to guide Luke into the waiting room.  
"You don't understand!  I can't lose him!" Luke shouted, nearly pulling his hair out.  Why was she here with him when she could be helping Michael?  
"Mr. Hemmings, I can assure you that we are doing everything we can.  Please have a seat.  We will know something shortly," the nurse assured, finally pushing Luke through the swinging ER doors and back into the waiting room.  
"Mikey," Luke whispered, a strangled sob escaping his throat just before he brought his hand to cover his mouth.  His black wedding band glimmered in the dull, yet too bright florescent lights of the hospital waiting room.|  
"Mr. Hemmings, he's with the best we've got.  As soon as I know anything, I will come get you," the nurse promised, rubbing his shoulder before turning away to run towards the ER, lending her skills any way she can.  


"Luke, come on, buddy.  Let's sit down," Ashton said, wrapping his arm around Luke and helping him into a sat with a clear sight of the door to the ER.  Luke sobbed uncontrollably as Ashton rocked him back and forth, rubbing a hand over his back and shushing him.  "He'll be just fine, Luke.  Okay?  He's in good hands.  You have to be strong for him, okay?  It won't be any good for him to wake up with you in the next hospital bed being treated for a damn panic attack.  Breathe, Luke," Ashton coaxed, rubbing his back with one hand while forcing him to look at him with the other.  "Deep breaths."

Luke finally calmed down just as Calum walked through the front door.

"Were you able to get hold of Karen?" Ashton asked.  Luke's eyes were wide as he looked at Calum.  
"Yeah.  She's on the next flight out, but it doesn't leave for two more days," Calum sighed, scrubbing his face with his hand.  Any news?"  


Ashton gave his head a small shake.  Calum took a seat on the other side of Luke, placing his hand so that it was touching Ashton's but still providing comfort and support for Luke.

 

XxXxXxXxXxXx

 

The next three hours were possibly the longest of Luke's life.  

Between paperwork, phone calls, and lack of sleep and information, he was exhausted and officially worried sick.  Reduced to dry heaving in the stall of the men's room, Luke slid down the wall, hot tears pouring down his cheeks.  He wrapped his arms around himself in an attempt to hold himself together when he felt that he was on the brink of shattering.

What if he doesn't make it?  Luke couldn't bear the thought of a day without Michael in his life.  That man was his sun, his air, his gravity.  What was his life without Michael?

As if sensing his desperation, the bathroom door slung open, Calum and Ashton skidding to a stop at the sight of Luke on the floor in the bathroom of the hospital.

"Luke?  Buddy, open the stall," Ashton said softly through the door.

Luke looked to the ceiling, inhaling a breath to steady himself as he stood from the floor, unlocking the stall and peeking at his friends.  


"He's out of surgery," Calum said, bouncing on the balls of his feet.  
"Shit," Luke said, opening the door and running at full speed, his friends hot on his heels.

They slowed down when they saw the nurse from earlier at the end of the hall, standing next to a doctor who was removing his surgical mask and gloves.

"Mr. Hemmings, this is Dr. Young."  Dr. Young offered a tight smile as he shook Luke's hand, introducing himself to Calum and Ashton with handshakes as well.  
"How is he?" Luke asked, eyes wide as he wrung his hands.  
"He's in very serious condition right now.  The surgery itself went well, but it was difficult to keep him with us.  He is stable and being transferred to ICU.  He's not out of the woods yet, so we'd like to keep an eye on him,” the doctor explained, looking very seriously between the three men.

Luke looked at the ceiling, smiling as he blinked the tears from his eyes and thanking the Universe for not taking Michael from him so soon.  Calum clapped Luke on the back and Ashton squeezed his shoulder as they looked at each other with relief.

"When can we see him?" Luke asked, his voice rough.  
"It shouldn't be too much longer.  We'd like to get him moved up to ICU and settled in before he has any visitors.  Has anyone contacted his family?" the doctor asked.  
Luke's eyebrows furrowed together in anger.  "WE are his family.  I'm his husband and they are his brothers," Luke seethed, trying to keep himself calm.  This is not the first time they had been dismissed before, not being seen as "family".  
"His mother will be here in a few days," Ashton spoke up.  "Thank you, doctor.  Please let us know as soon as we can see him," he said, grabbing Luke's shoulders and turning him towards the waiting room to wait again.

 

It was another hour before a nurse came to take them to see Michael.

 

Luke's fingers tapped nervously against his thigh as they rode the elevator up to the floor housing the ICU.  Calum had to catch him several times, pulling him back slightly by the elbowto keep him from running the nurse over when he felt she wasn't moving fast enough down the hallway.  They reached the door to the ICU and Luke froze in his tracks.  He wanted so badly to see Michael, to lay his eyes on him, feel his skin on his, and see him showing signs of life.  He had no idea what Michael's physical condition was, only that he was badly hurt.

Luke recited part of his vows to himself:  _ In sickness and in health. _   No matter what, he would continue to love Michael and stand by his side.  Luke took a deep breath before pushing open the door and entering the ICU.  He was immediately met with a stronger, clinical smell than the rest of the hospital, along with the various sounds of several machines.

"Right this way, Mr. Hemmings," the nurse whispered.  He gave her a curt nod before following her.  He was comforted slightly when he felt the hands of Calum and Ashton on his back, letting him know that they were right there with him through this.  The nurse stopped a few beds later, pulling back the curtain a bit before turning back to face the three friends.  
"I'm sorry, but I can only allow one of you at a time," she said quietly.

Ashton and Calum immediately stepped back to indicate that it would be Luke to visit Michael first.  Luke looked back at them thankfully before turning to pull them into a tight hug.  They were all scared and worried, but they knew they had to push forward and be there for Michael, who was sure to be more scared than the three of them put together.

When they pulled apart, Luke turned around, nodding for the nurse to continue opening the curtain.

Luke could hear his speeding heartbeat in his ears as he laid eyes on his husband for the first time in several hours.  Michael was hooked up to machines monitoring everything possible, but even with the beeping and whooshing, it all meant that Michael was still alive.  

Luke’s hand covered his mouth as tears spilled down his cheeks.  He took two careful steps toward Michael and brushed his hair out of his face with the lightest touch possible.  Luke wanted, more than anything, to wrap his arms around Michael and kiss every inch of him, but he didn’t want to risk it without knowing the extent of the damage the wreck had caused.

 

 

The phone call he had received from the hospital was possibly the scariest thing Luke had experienced in his life, finally surpassing the night Michael’s hair caught on fire on stage.  Luke had been at Calum and Ashton’s house, waiting for Michael to bring the pizza for their get-together.  Luke had started to get worried as time ticked by and Michael didn’t show up with the pizza.  Figuring he got distracted, Luke decided to call Michael, but he never picked up.

“I think something’s wrong, guys,” Luke said quietly, looking up from his phone as he pressed ‘send’ on the fifth text message to Michael.  
“He’s fine, Lucas.  Don’t be such a worry-wort,” Calum chided, his shoulder knocking into Ashton’s in an attempt to distract him from the game they were playing on the Playstation.  
“It’s been over an hour since he left, Calum!  He should’ve been back by now.”

As if on cue, Luke’s phone rang.

“Thank god,” Luke sighed, answering the phone without looking at the screen.  “Michael Gordon Clifford, where the hell are you?”  
“I’m sorry, is this Luke?” a voice asked on the other line.  All blood rushed from Luke’s face and he felt as if his heart stopped beating.  
“Y-yes,” Luke finally said.  Calum and Ashton paused the game, looking at each other in confusion.  
“Hi, Luke.  This is Sarah from Bellemont Medical Center.  I’m afraid we have Mr. Clifford here and--” the phone dropped from Luke’s hand as he froze in place.  Calum and Ashton sprang into action; Calum rushing to the phone while Ashton tended to Luke.  
“Luke, talk to me.  What happened?” Ashton questioned, trying to snap Luke out of his trance.  “Luke!” Ashton shook his shoulders.  
“Get him in the car.  Michael’s in the hospital,” Calum said, grabbing his phone, keys, and wallet before opening the front door.  Ashton forced Luke to move until he was able to sit him in the back seat of the car. 

Calum explained the phone call to Ashton on the way, but Luke didn’t hear a word of it.  The only thing he could think about was losing his husband, his best friend, everything that meant anything to him in this world.  He couldn’t bear losing Michael now, not after all this time.  They’re supposed to grow old together and terrorize the old folks’ home along with Calum and Ashton in 50 years.  They’re supposed to travel and experience things and live their last days together--TOGETHER, damn it!

  
  


The nurse lightly touched Luke's shoulder to get his attention before speaking.

“He has several broken bones from the accident, but we want to monitor him for any head trauma or possible long-lasting side-effects of the the crash. It's going to be a bumpy road, but we'll keep you updated with any new information, okay?”  
Luke nodded, brushing his thumb gently over Michael's knuckles.  
“Do you have any questions before I leave you two alone?”  
“When will he wake up?” Luke asked, his voice cracking as he looked into the nurse's eyes.  
She pursed her lips, knowing this question had been coming. “We're not sure, yet. We'll just have to keep an eye on him and hope for the best,” she replied, rubbing his shoulder before exiting the room, pulling the curtains closed behind her.

 

It was more several hours before Michael came to, an involuntary groan of pain leaving his lips as his eyes fluttered open.  His body jerked when he realized he woke up in the hospital and clearly had been in an accident.  He looked to his left, relieved when he laid eyes on Luke.

“Mikey!” Luke exclaimed, launching himself towards Michael’s face to kiss him.  Michael hissed in pain, causing Luke to pull away slightly.  
“I thought I lost you, Mike!” Luke sobbed as he repeatedly kissed Michael's face.  
“I'm too stubborn to die, you know that,” Michael chuckled dryly before groaning from the pain in his ribs and collarbone stopped him.  “I really fucked up this time, didn’t I?”   
“Mikey, you were t-boned; there’s nothing you could’ve done.  I’m just happy you’re okay,” Luke breathed, his forehead lightly touching Michael’s.  
“Are the other goons with you?” Michael asked, smirking.  
Luke chuckled, standing from his chair and turning towards the door, “Yeah, I’ll go get them.”  Luke was stopped by a touch to his hand.  He looked down to see Michael’s hand wrapped around his own, tears in his eyes.    
“I’m sorry I scared you, Lu.  Thank you for being here when I woke up.”  The look in Michael’s eyes nearly broke Luke’s heart.  The light of his life, his sunshine, was laid up in a hospital bed, literally broken and bruised, and he was apologizing?  Luke couldn’t find words to respond to Michael, so he did the next best thing:  kissed him gently to convey that he would _always_ be there when he woke up.    
  
They would always be together, no matter what… and _every_ pizza would be delivered from here on out.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think!


End file.
